Napkin dispenser



1 `lune 24, 193C'.- A. E. COFRIN NAPKIN DISPENSER Filed Oct. 10, 1928 A Patented `lune 24, 1930' I UNITED ySTATES PATENT AOFFICE:

AUSTIN COFRIN, 0F GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN NAPKIN DISPENSER Application filed October 10, 1928. Serial No. 311,640. v

The invention relates to fixtures for dispensing napkins and has as an object the provision of an exceedingly simple device for the purpose referred to.

It is an object of the invention to provide a fixture having a minimum of movable parts.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a fixture napkins to the user.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a fixture of small dimensions provided with a minimum of internal mecha- K nism and whichshall be neat in appearance.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description when read in connection drawings showing illustrative embodiments of the invention and whereinz Fig. 1 is a central vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a Vsection on 'line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-'3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section .corresponding l showing a modification.

As shown the dev1ce comprises a casing to Fig.

' having a bottom wall 10 and a top wall 11 and side walls 12, 13 closing two sides ofthe casing. The side walls 12, 13 are shown as provided with raised panels and the margins of these Walls are carried into flanges 14, 15, p 16, 17 to outline openings in the delivery sides of the casing. The top wall 11 is shown as telescopically related to the side walls, being provided with downturned margins for this purpose, two of the margins 18, 19 lapping over the flanges 14-17 and providing upper margins for the delivery openings.

The bottom wall 10 is similar to the upper wall and is provided with the. flanges 20, 21 which form the lowery margins of the delivery openings, the flanges on the remaining vtwo sides of the bottom closure or wall lap past the side walls as in the case of tne of the casing.

Bosses 22 are shown carried by the bottom wall to serve as supports for the device.

To press napkins in the fixture toward. the delivery openings there are shown movable plates 23, 24 which in accordance with t-he form of the invention illustrated in Figs. l

top

which will efficiently deliver` with the accompanyingA ping to 3 inclusive are secured to springs 25, 26 as by the provision of recesses 27, 28 in the edges of the springs adjacent their upper; ends, which recesses cooperate with ears 29, 30 struck out from the material of plates 23, 24 projecting into the recesses 27,28 and then bent down into contact with the surface of the springs.

To support the springs 25, 26, there are shown rigifl straps 30, 31having their ends upturned and secured to the margins 20, 21 of the bottom wall the straps upwardly inclined toward the center of the casing and having rtheir ends turned into parallelism to receive the lower ends of springs 25, 26, the ends of the straps and the ends of the springs being secured together as by rivets 32. The bodies of the straps being thus inclined serve as supports for `the lower ends of the napkins to be dispensed and by their inclination serve to assist in'the feed of the napkins toward the delivery openings.

The napkins are introduced into the casing by being pressed through the delivery openings when they will expand to flat condition and being pressed toward the openings by action of springs 25, 26, the margins of the napkins will be retained behind flanges 14, 15 or 16, 18 and 18, 20, 19, 21.

The napkins to be dispensed from the fixture are preferably such as are provided with tabs adjacentl the center of the fold which tabs may be grasped by the user and whereby 4a single napkin may be `withdrawn through the delivery I openings.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 the action of gravity is depended upon to press the napkins toward the delivery open-l ing. gravity being assisted by the inclination of the supporting straps 30', 31. 4 l

In this form of the invention the plates 23', 24 are mounted to fall by their own weight toward the outlet, the mounting comprising bars 33, 34'hingedly connected at 35, 36 to the ends of straps 30', 31 and also h-ingedly connected at 37, 38 to the rear surface of plates 23', 24. Since no mechanism is required in the casing below the napkins and since the mechanism in the rear of the napkins in the casing is of minimum thickness, the casing may be made substantially only large enough to house the napkins to be delivered and may therefore be made of a minimum size consid- 5 ering the quantity of napkins desired at one time.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the invention within the scope of the appended claims without departing I from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. A device for dispensing napkins or the like comprising, in combination, a casing having a delivery opening in a vertical side thereof, marginal, sheet retaining ianges surrounding said opening, a follower plate supported in said casing for movement toward and from said openmg a sheet supporting` v member rigidly secured in said casing adjacent the lower end thereof and inclinedv upwardly and rearwardly from said opening, a projection carried by the rear edge of said member turned into a plane parallel with said opening and a follower plate supporting member mounted on said rear edge projection and attached to said plate adjacent the middle of its rear surface.

2. A device for dispensing napkins or the like comprising, in combination, a casing havingl delivery openings in its opposite vertical sides surrounded by marginal sheet retaining iianges, a pair of sheet supporting members each secured at one end in the bottom of thecasing below the respective vdelivery openings and sloping upwardly away from said openings, the inner ends of said members secured together, a pair of mem-v bers mounted on the inner terminals of said sheet supporting members, a follower plate mounted adjacent the upper end of each of said last named members for movement toward said delivery openings. i

3. A device for dispensing napkins or the like comprising, in combination, a casing having delivery openings in its opposite vertical sides surrounded by marginal sheet retaining flanges, a pair of sheet supporting members cach secured at one end in the bottom of the casing below the respective delivery openings and sloping upwardly away from said openings, the inner ends of said members secured together, 'a pair of spring members having their lower ends rigidly secured to the inner terminals of said sheet supporting members, a

5 5 pair of follower plates, one mounted at the upper end of one of said spring members, said spring members pressing said plates ytoward the respective delivery openings.

AUSTIN E. COFRIN. 

